“We have to face the fact that meaningful gun control has to be a part of homeland security.” Jeh Johnson

Reflections: Ending the Violence

I cannot stop hearing the sound of the gun as he walked down my hallway. I cannot unsee my classmates who were shot get carried out by police. I cannot unsee the bodies on the floor. Please keep in mind the horror of what we’ve gone through today. #prayfordouglas

This morning, as I scrolled through the heart-wrenching tweets posted by students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, I was heartbroken. I am heartbroken for the families, friends, teachers, and many others touched by this terrible tragedy. It saddens me deeply that our schools are no longer the safe haven we once imagined them to be. We are in a war zone and our collective conscience must be moved to find meaningful, long lasting bipartisan solutions to this problem. How could we continue to stand by and offer hackneyed platitudes as mass shootings become ubiquitous in this great nation?

According to a Gallup poll, most Americans would like to see stronger laws and ways to handle the presence of guns in our society. So why are we not pursuing that logical pathway? Sure, there is a gun culture in America and those who collect and use guns responsibly feel that building in more restrictions might hamper their access to and use of their weapons. But where does an AK-15 and similar assault weapon fit into this conversation? Why does anyone need to own a gun designed to kill massive numbers of people in a few seconds? The formidable NRA and gun lobbyists feed off of the fears of their gun owner base as they battle to maintain the status quo. But how many more mass shootings will wake us up to the urgency many of us know is desperately lacking? Did you know that in all of the 20th century, we had 226 school shootings and that so far in this millennium we have had 212 shootings? How many more children, teachers, innocent bystanders need to die before we come to our senses that our present laws and efforts are NOT working?

With each deadly mass shooting, we gather and share our grief and prayers and a lot of folks ask for changes but not much gets done to prevent it from happening again. The numbers of innocent lives lost to gun violence continues to grow and the conversation that needs to take place must rise above our fears and address the stark and horrific impact that the use of assault weapons and access to guns are having on our society. Please read the articles below as they all make fantastic common sense arguments for why we need stricter controls in place. The debate on Gun Control is not about depriving responsible citizens from owning one. It is about having stricter checks and balances to prevent those who are not qualified, for a range of reasons, from owning them.READ: SLATE – In 1996, Australia Enacted Strict Gun Laws. It Hasn’t Had a Mass Shooting Since.Aging Millennial Engineer: “F**k you, I like guns.”Mass Shootings Are a National Security Threat

“The old law of an eye for an eye leaves everybody blind. It is immoral because it seeks to humiliate the opponent rather than win his understanding; it seeks to annihilate rather than to convert.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr

Reflections: Ending the Violence

Why the stalemate on stricter controls? If you’ve read my post, you’d know that I make it clear that most of us who want Gun Control laws to be stricter have no desire to deprive responsible citizens of their guns. Yet, again and again, gun advocates skip that clear fact to go on their rant about why they want NO/ZERO controls. WHY? Think about why you keep arguing in circles. Studies show that America has a gun culture like no other in the world. For a country that is NOT at war internally, civilians own more guns than any other country in the world. Americans use those guns to kill each other and commit suicide.

Every time the topic comes up, the defenders of the status quo give us the usual list of excuses …. people kill not guns, we need to arm ourselves against X and Y and so on. But no matter what costume you dress the facts in, what remains is that we need to find solutions to deter those who will harm our children and our families; we can’t do the work of stemming gun violence effectively until we have stricter controls in place. How can we find a middle ground and a common sense discussion on this?

If we are all armed to the teeth, how does that build a safe and just society? If we resort to vigilante justice by arming ourselves with assault weapons and collecting an arsenal fit for war, where will that end? If we resort to blinding each other in an eye for an eye mentality as we rush to arm ourselves to the hilt, how can we see or make room for peace? If you are not a trained law enforcement officer, making a split second decision to shoot and kill an armed assailant is not easy. My heart hurts as we see this carnage keeps happening, again and again, taking the lives of kids and teachers.

As a teacher and a parent, I cannot fathom the horror of being in a classroom and watching my students gunned down. Refusing to address this matter in a balanced and logical way, with stricter gun control laws in place and mental health support available to all is tantamount to a collective societal act of homicide. I’m brokenhearted! Condolences to all…

I agree with you 100%! We need stricter laws, better and more background checks, availability of mental health to everyone with no strings. I believe part of the reason is that the NRA back many of those in political power. That is my opinion.

So saddened by the actions of one troubled kids yesterday. The things those kids saw. The worry and pain the parents experience. Nothing can take that away. Not an explanation not a I’m sorry not anything. I don’t exactly know how any steps can fix this problem but can only hope the future figures it out.

It’s so depressing, I have two kids, one is in elementary school. Even if I forget his lunch I have to bring it to the office because they lock the doors of all the classrooms during the day.. What a world we live in.

The thing is, even if there is a gun ban, people will still be able to get their hands on them and carryout awful situations such as what happened recently. It’s not a gun issue at hand, it’s a mental issue.

Gun violence is the enemy of peace. School shootings are definitely scary since these will become a traumatic experience not only to those who are in the place itself but also to other students who may feel wary that the same thing may happen to their school.

Sad to hear about the mass shooting in Florida. Something like this seems to only happen in America. I have no idea what to say about America being a foreigner. But when I visited America last Dec, I was so shocked to see guns were sold at mini mart at the gas station too!

Such a sad sad sad situation to happen. When I think of situations like these, it makes me understand why people choose to home-school their kids and/or choose not to leave the safety of their homes. It is just heartbreaking!

I’m so torn on how to handle this with my oldest daughter who is in kindergarten. We need to breed more love and less hate. Its terrifying sending my LO off to school everyday with all this hate in the world.

Every time I hear about another round of mass shooting as the result of gun violence in the US, I find myself torn equally between being completely distraught and feeling so incredibly angry. The NRA needs to have less funding, and there needs to be a greater amount of gun regulation. It’s not about losing a freedom/right, it’s about the safety of all American citizens.

I’ve seen everything blamed for these horrible incidents, from videogames, gun control and the government. All I can say is, proper education and security are still the greatest counter options that have absolutely no drawbacks.

I really hate turning on the news to hear about another school shooting. This is a huge problem in the US and really needs to be dealt with. i can’t imagine the pain of sending a child to school with the fear of them being shot. There needs to be big changes to gun control and mental health from the Government..the people who have the power to do something. Action speaks louder than words.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this recent tragedy. I am saddened by the senseless violence that seems to be plaguing our schools. I don’t have an answer, my thoughts and prayers go out to those affected.

I totally agree with all your points in this! I grew up in an area where everyone owned guns so it’s extra frustrating for me to see people I know still advocating for gun rights after tragedies like this one.

I can feel and understand Jeh Johnson, It’s so hard to speak about politics and how it implies their rules to the people. Ending voilence would take a million road, honestly speaking we can’t stop or end it but we can prevent it. and that’s reality. I guess what we can all do is help our own community and prevent violence to spread. little by little in the end everything will be goes well.

Something has to change. How many more children have to die before our lawmakers wake up and make it harder to get guns, get rid of assault rifles that no one needs, and also make it easier for people with mental illness to get the help they need. It’s time for actions, not just thoughts and prayers.

Until teachers are trained and paid for being both educator and body guard/ police officer/ soldier I don’t think we should ask them to put their lives on the line as well as all students. The government cannot just turn a blind eye to this horrific problem. Serious money, time and effort needs put into gun violence (better gun control) and mental health education from Kindergarten on.

This whole situation is heartbreaking and sickens me everytime we hear of a new shooting. We seem to be stuck in a never-ending cycle of internet platitudes and debates with everyone calling for changes that never go anywhere. We must stand up for action to change what is happening in our nation.

It is terrible what happened. As a Pediatric certified massage therapist who is studying about causes and treatments of childhood trauma, things like this remind me of why I do what I do. It is just so terrible it is even a thing, especially with children.

Whew, this is such a horribly topic in our nation. I truly believe that we should do away with guns in America. There is so much proof to back up from other countries that have incredibly strict gun laws, I just don’t understand why anyone wouldn’t support that. I can understand hunting rifles, but beyond that, no one needs a gun. I’ve lived 40 years on this earth and have never needed nor wanted a gun.

We really dont know what is really happening in this world. It is really frustating that this has to be happened. I hope the government has to do something about this to avoid that this will happen again.

I am out of words. All I can offer is prayers for everyone affected. People should always remember that if we start peace from ourselves and from our families then we will have a world that is peaceful.

I completely agree. We need stronger laws to protect all Americans. We keep hearing it’s not the right time to talk about gun controls every time it happens…but WHEN is the right time? Why does an individual need to carry an AR-15 to protect him/herself? And why is it legal to purchase an AR-15? This just sickens me.

This is so unfortunate that the gun violence has become a regular part of the news and our lives. There should be stricter controls over the gun use to stop these mishappenings which ruin so many lives and hearts.

I was driving in the car with my kids when we heard the report on the radio. I suddenly felt so grateful to be homeschooling my kids, and I hate feeling that way! A school should be a place for learning and discovery, that isn’t possible when there is fear and uncertainty.

I was shocked when I saw this on the news. I cannot imagine the horror the students, teachers, and parents had to go through. This has got to stop. Legislators must find a way to address the issue. This makes me so sad that things like this happen. Those poor innocent kids. Heartbroken here.

There are no words when such a terrible and tragic event takes place. But the society, the world, needs to overcome the sadness and discuss the underlying problem. Is it the guns laws? I come from a country where having a gun at home is VERY difficult by legal means, that is why the illegal gun market is so huge in my country… so the laws don’t really change the matter. There is something much deeper, something about our society and the way we process the violence that explodes one day the way it did last Wednesday.

This is just so sad. I sometimes feel helpless and fearful of everyday. I know this will be an uphill climb to find the best solution to this problem in society but I trust and hope that all this violence will come to an end.

Bloggers are people. We are parents, teachers, and loved ones. We do NOT write in a vacuum. We have EVERY RIGHT TO EXPRESS our pain and sadness over the senseless murders of school kids and their teachers. What side are you promoting? It sounds like you are either for more guns or nothing. Is it a tragedy to you? I hope so because your insensitive comment belies that. Next time follow your own advice! Thank you!

It always breaks my heart when I hear of a school shooting. It’s awful for parents to send their kids off to school in the morning, not knowing if you’ll ever see them alive again. Something has got to change!

There is a gun culture in the United States. As a Canadian, it’s hard for me to fathom how many Americans own guns without proper screening or training. It’s hard to accept concealed carry laws, people keeping loaded weapons in their handbags on the back seat of the car next to a preschooler, and folks being able to just buy a gun for a friend who lacks the proper permits.

It’s good to see more people speaking about these issues. Hopefully, the people can convince their elected officials to respect their wishes, rather than those of the gun lobby. There’s no reason you can’t have access to firearms while still looking after the public safety.

I read somewhere that in Australia after a mass shooting in a school, they amended their gun laws and since then there have been none. It amazes me how vested interests are allowing such massacres to happen again and again. Painful and unbelievable.

It is truly devasting what happened over there and I feel so bad for all involved. I think there does need to be a change in law, especially with how many incidents like this are occuring, I was shocked to find out how many gun crimes have happened alone this year already. Our media doesn’t cover them all so to find out there was already 18 this year is just awful. Something has to change to protect society in Ameria.

Hi Elizabeth,
You are so right. How many more shootings are necessary for governmental bodies to review laws. Sadly this is what happens when money rules the world and it is more important to earn the next buck than how you do it. As if moral and ethics were optional.

Getting rid of the guns that are everywhere in the country does not seem very likely to ever happen. Politicians don’t seem to have any interest in doing anything that might remove guns from homes or cities. Even if some efforts were successful, that would not necessarily end the violence. Someone who was determined to act in a violent way would find another way, like knives, cars, bombs or even fire.

The knowledge that has been proven to be able to end the violence that has plagued humanity for centuries has been told to the news organizations and politicians and organizations who say they work to create peace many times I only know of one politician who did anything about it. No one listened to him. Everyone who was told this knowledge and did nothing are partially responsible for the continuing violence.

The cause of all violence is disorderly brain functioning and the resulting low quality of consciousness. The knowledge to improve brain functioning and increase the quality of anyone’s consciousness has been known for at least 40 or so years.

It has been said for some time that we are only using 5 or 10% of our mental potential. You may even have heard this yourself. This happens to be 100% true. The reason for this condition is known.

The proven way to end the violence is to improve the way the brain functions, which improves the quality of consciousness and that results in an improvement in the way one thinks, feels and behaves. This does not mean that a criminal becomes better at being a criminal. It means that the basis for criminal behavior is eliminated The result is an improved state of mind, more happiness, thoughtfulness, kindness, etc. Negative and harmful behavior stops. The Transcendental Meditation program has been solidly proven to do this. There are 600 plus published studies that prove this beyond any doubt. …

Thank you for your feedback Laurence. Sorry, I had to delete part of your very long feedback. TM is one of many forms of meditation practices available to people. You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make to drink. 🙂

I am with you on this, we definitely need gun control, the situation has gone out of hand and I an’t imagine what the kids who were there that day and parents who lost their kids are going through at this moment.

I have to admit, I have grown very hopeless about the whole situation. I really hope to see meaningful change soon though, because I just don’t think students and teachers should have to fear for their lives on a daily basis.

I cannot imagine what these poor people must be going through 🙁 my heart breaks every time I read a story like this in the news – the US gun laws really need to be tighter, like they are here in the UK x

There are way too many senseless deaths and not enough gun control. This issue needs to be taken head on and I applaud those who came together in protesting of the silly gun laws that are not being taken truly seriously by this country.

It is truly heartbreaking incidents, schools are known as the safest place for all of us.
But I don’t understand how does the US Gun Law.

Many on my expat community here in Manila who just recently moved from US always shares to us how much they are worried for their children, that’s why they are forced to relocate even it means changing their lifestyle low salary.

This is very sad topic. I live in Austria and here is the law very strict. It is not allowed to have guns at home. Guns only has the police here and I didnt hear such a dramatic and bad stories like in other countries. The law has to be stricter.

Among the many horrors we hear about, school shootings are amongs the most touching and most terrible. To think of those innocent kids! And not only those who lost their lives, but those also who are traumatised by the experience… I wish we could all protect our kids and young siblings from such a situation. Something should be done, and meaningful gun control could be the first step in the matter.

Its a shame that this is such a touchy subject, especially when innocent adults and children are losing their lives for no reason when certain individuals have access to obtain guns with very relaxed laws. Your post was very informative and I am hoping to see change in the near future.

Indeed. Sadly, people are stuck on their need to be armed and that is not the point that I’m addressing. Like many others, we would like to see stricter laws that make access the guns impossible in the wrong hands. Also, the Engineer whose article I linked gave a very clear explanation as to why we don’t need to allow people to own assault weapons. They are not used for hunting or target practice. They are murder machines.

We as a country have to come up with a way out of this kind of crisis. It should have ended with one mass shooting. But no, there came another, and then another. I’m not sure how much more we can take before we can finally solve this. My heart breaks for those who experienced this.

Wow, this was very deep and heart felt. I agree with you 100%. Although I’m not American, I stand with you. We have to stop weighing the options, talking about possibilities, and simply begin implementing stricter gun laws. The citizens of America need more protection and security. I’m Canadian and I know that if gun violence were to increase in our schools I would have to look at other alternatives for my kids. I can only imagine the kind of stress parents and teachers are feeling as we work through another very tragic gun violence story. All the best! Praying for America.

I can’t imagine what these families must be going through! A change is in order, indeed. Very thought provoking topic that’s so important! Especially with the thought of sending my son to school in a few short years…homeschooling looks better every day!

I’ll tell you what is sad. My friend’s daughter Lily (5 years old, kindergarten) asked her mom what “hard lockdown” means. She said the principal was talking about it. She then proceeded to tell her that “on a soft lockdown we can stay on the carpet, but we hide under the purple table in a hard lockdown”. While it’s great her school is preparing her, I am heartbroken that it is needed.

I honestly don’t understand why guns are still legal in the states. You never hear of anything like this happening anywhere else… If I remember well, there was a school shooting in the UK in the 60s and since then guns have been completely made illegal. Having innocent children die because of lunatics who have access to guns because of faulty laws is so wrong!

Hearing about school shooting always breaks my heart. Violence of any kind is of course terrible, but the fact that innocent kids are involved makes it all the more painful. It’s infuriating when politicians only say we have to move on and support each other in this grief. Yeah, sure. But for god’s sake, take some action to prevent this from happening ever again..

It beats me why the people going on a rant about gun control cannot see what is happening just cause they want to keep their guns. Stricter laws will definitely keep this guns away from the mentally unstable people who choose to go shoot our children down for no reason…..hugs to the family and friends of the bereaved.

I worry that our future generations are not safe in school doing what they are legally suppose to be doing. I, along with my daughter could home school my grandchildren, but what about the millions of students, due to no fault of their own, must go with fear every day? This has brought contention into my family. I will do whatever they ask to help hurry safer laws. Better background checks definitely, better mental health services of course I say starting at a young age. They have classes for art, music, health why not mental health and development. My son though, owns a high speed rifle “for fun” we disagree over the subject weekly.